Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published Sunday, May 31, 2026, 2:36 p.m. / Updated Sunday, May 31, 2026, 3:24 p.m.
Sorana Cîrstea (36 years old, 18 WTA) qualified for the quarterfinals at Roland Garros after passing Xiyu Wang (25, #148 WTA), score 6-3, 7-6 (4). The player from Romania became the third oldest player to qualify in this phase of the competition in the French capital.
Sorana Cîrstea equaled her career-best performance at Roland Garros in the year she announced her retirement. According to OPTA statisticians, at 36 years and 47 days, Sorana Cîrstea became the third oldest quarterfinalist in the history of the open era clay grand slam tournament.
Sorana Cîrstea entered a select top: “Don't retire”
Before Sorana Cîrstea, there are only Billie Jean King at the 1980 edition, at the age of 36 years and 186 days, and Helga Masthoff, at the age of 36 years and 199 days, at the 1978 edition.
The top 5 of the oldest players to play in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros is completed by Serena Williams: in 2016 at the age of 34 years and 239 days, and again by Helga Masthoff who played in the 1976 edition at the age of 34 years and 201 days.
“3 – Sorana Cîrstea is the third oldest female player to play quarterfinals at Roland Garros in the Open era. Only Helga Masthoff in 1978 and Billie Jean King in 1980 were older. DON'T RETIRE!”, OPTA wrote on the Twitter page.
